Lubricant-solvent feed system for engine cylinders



E CYLINDERS Feb. 21, 1961 F. E. OWEN LUBRICANT-SOLVENT FEED SYSTEM FOR ENGIN Filed July 29, i957 Pic-5.3.

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A rToRNEY United States Patent LUBRICANT-SOLVENT FEED SYSTEM FOR ENGINE CYLINDERS Frederick E. Owen, 833 W. Beverly Blvd., Whittier, Calif. Filed July 29, 1957, Ser. No. 674,635 1 Claim. (Cl. 123-196) This invention relates generally to the delivery of fluid to fluid Valving engine spark plugs, and more particularly has to do with apparatus for centrally supplying lubricant-solvent fluids to spark plugs of the above type.

Along with the development of spark plugs designed to intermittently feed a lubricant-solvent fluid, such as that known in the trade as top oil, into the engine combustion chambers and particularly over the plug electrodes thereon, there has developed a need for a simple and centralized fluid delivery system. Since top oil is normally used in rather small quantities, and normally supplied in can-type containers, the latter may themselves be used to retain the fluid and supply it directly to the conduits leading to the spark plugs. However, the usual can type containers are not readily adapted to such use, and it is one purpose of the present invention to provide a novel fluid container well adapted for supplying top oil to fluid Valving spark plugs through appropriate conduits, as will be described. It is the general object of the invention to disclose a complete top oil delivery system, including the novel container, for delivering the oil to the upper or combustion chambers of the engine by way of the spark plugs therefor. A typical spark plug of this type is shown in my co-pending application entitled Fluid Valving Spark Plug, Serial No. 675,636, filed July 29, 1957.

Accordingly, the invention teaches the provision of a fluid container having an internally threaded base portion forming a threaded recess re-entrant into the container for receiving a nipple in threaded engagement with the recess thread, and also for receiving a puncturing element adapted to penetrate through the container base as the latter is screwed over the nipple. The complete fluid supplying system includes in addition to the container, means supporting the nipple and the puncturing element acting to Seat the container base and forming a chamber communicating through the nipple with the puncture in the base to receive fluid draining from the container. Also included in the system are a sight gauge for visibly indicating the level of fluid in the container, and a metering valve connected in series with the sight gauge for receiving fluid drawn from the container through the sight gauge and distributing thatfluid to the spark plugs, as will be hereinafter described.

These and other features and objects of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an elevation partly in section of the complete fluid delivery section;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is an elevation partly broken away showing the novel container prior to its connection into the fluid delivery system.

In Fig. 1 an engine head is shown with a spark plug 11 of the fluid Valving type threaded into the head so that the plug electrodes are exposed to the engine combustion chamber not shown,

it being understood that a of rubber or plastic or any "ice number of such plugs are connected into the head. Carried on the latter is a support 12 having a threaded upwardly opening bore 13 receiving an upwardly tapering needle 14, the sharp end of which projects above an externally threaded nipple 15 extending above the support and retained in a larger bore 16 therein.

The needle is shown projecting through a puncture 17 formed by the needle in the thin upwardly offset wall 40 of the base portion 18 of container shell 19. Base portion 18 also includes internally threaded side wall indicated at 20, and forms a' recess 21 axially entrant upwardly into the container, and receiving the externally threaded nipple in threaded engagement with the wall 20. The puncture 17 is formed as the container is screwed down over the nipple to seat against the seal 22 extending-across the top of the support 12 and typically formed other suitable material. Since the needle portion forming the puncture and extending therethrough is flattened at 23 as better shown in Fig. 2, the puncture 17 is openly exposed to the nipple interior, so that fluid 24 in the container may drain downwardly alongside the needle and into the chamber 25 formed by the bore 16 in the support, an air hole 26 conveniently punched in the upper end of the container transferring atmospheric pressure to the fluid therein. Prior to being screwed down over the nipple, the container is as shown in Fig. 3, completely sealed against fluid drainage therefrom.

Fluid flows from the chamber 25 through a port 27 receiving a threaded fitting 28 passing the fluid to an external conduit 29. From there fluid travels upwardly under the action of gravity upon the fluid in the container through a transparent sight gauge 30 indicating the level of the fluid in the container when the engine is not running, and through another conduit 31 to a needle valve assembly generally indicated at 32.

Assembly 32 comprises a housing 33 containing a fluid distribution chamber 34 communicating with conduit 31 through a port 35 in the housing, a suitable needle valve 36 threaded into the housing being movable toward and away from the port 35 to meter the flow of fluid into chamber 34 for distribution to the spark plugs through discharge ports 37. Fluid delivery is completed through insert 38 threaded into the ports and conduits 39 extending to the plugs. All of the conduits 29, 31 and 39 are preferably made of a flexible material, but with relatively heavy conduit walls to prevent their collapse as a result of vacuum suction transmitted to the conduits'from the spark plugs and acting to draw fluid from chamber 25, suction conditions originating in the engine cylinders.

In operation, the container 19 is merely screwed down over the nipple 15 and tightened against the seal 22 in order to place the system in readiness for fluid delivery, the air hole 26 then being readily formed in the top of the container to complete the installation. The level of the fluid in the container is readily viewed in the sight gauge 30, and after the fluid has dropped below the level of puncture 17, the container may be unscrewed and a new one quickly threaded into position for continued operation.

Since fluid is to be vacuum drawn to the spark plugs, the fluid level in the container 19, assembly 32 and conduits 30 and 37 should remain below the top entrances to the spark plugs, thereby eliminating any gravity flow to the plugs, which might otherwise flood the engine at idling conditions. At the same time, the vacuum required to induce oil flow should be at a minimum, and therefore the support l2'rnay be carried by a bracket 50 connected to the fire panel or wall 51 of the engine compartment so that the container 19 is slightly below the tops of the spark plugs.

I claim:

The combination, comprising a closed relatively thin walled fluid container shell having an internally threaded base portion forming a threaded recess re-entrant upwardly into the container and opening outwardly therefrom, an assembly including a nipple received in threaded interengagement with the recess thread and a puncturing element extending within the nipple and penetrating upwardly through the container base, said element and base forming a puncture in the base communicating between the fluid zone in the container and the nipple, for draining fluid into said nipple, an enlarged fluid supply receptacle having an inlet at a higher elevation than said container and having a plurality of outlets at higher elevations than said inlet, conduit means communicating between said nipple and said inlet, and a normally open metering valve controlling said receptacle inlet for regulating the suction flow of fluid from said nipple to said outlets, whereby container fluid may be drained into said nipple and then delivered to said receptacle for supply through said outlets in response to suction communicated to said outlets, said inlet, said conduit means and said nipple, the fluid in said receptacle being free to drain back through said inlet into said conduit means in the absence of suction communication thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 402,640 Woodward May 7, 1889 1,004,359 Brown Sept. 26, 1911 1,812,092 Gravell June 30, 1931 1,924,704 Bartholomew Aug. 29, 1933 2,229,063 Field Jan. 21, 1941 2,622,767 Kovalik et al. Dec. 23, 1952 2,722,210 Koonce Nov. 1, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 107,747 Great Britain July 12, 1917 

